One of the perils of winter is the proclivity for one to become ill. How the evil germs seek out their victims is beyond me, but this past week I fell prey to their maniacal misdoings.
Just last Friday I finished my character design and storyboard revising job on two Zhu Zhu Pets movies. I packed my things, went home, enjoyed a nice Saturday, then BUM bum buuuummmm – Sunday hit with a thud. I started coughing in morning church, and after a two-hour afternoon nap, it was evident that something was wrong.
I’ve said it before, and I’m sure I’ll say it again – curse that mischievous Murphy and his confounded law! My first week out of work and I have been spending it nursing a fever, achey back, and runny nose having never been ill while I was employed. Today is the first day I have felt well enough to even sketch something, which I’m sharing with you:
My infernal Cheshire Cat mug just sat there mocking me all week in my sick stupor.
This is not the first time I’ve ever been sick, but somehow it always strikes me as a big surprise when it happens. I tend to forget what it feels like in between illnesses, so when it hits, all the symptoms are rediscovered anew – much like how you look for Waldo again after having not picked up the book in a year – only less fun. Stupid germs.
So, whether you live in the cold reaches of Indiana, or in the 70+ degrees of southern California as I do, the winter bug may seek you out. Try not to be too hospitable to it, ok? Especially if it is wearing a striped shirt and glasses.
This past summer I was contacted by Daniel Stelzer, Art Director for Answers Magazine, to possibly work on an illustration assignment for them. I had not seen Answers Magazine before, and learned that it is a magazine that deals with scientific issues and other worldview topics all from a biblical perspective. It is the periodical produced by the Answers in Genesis organization, the folks that are behind the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Kentucky.
Dan had sought me out having seen some of my previous work created for a series of Bible lessons for kids. He said he wanted me to create five pages of graphic novel-style illustrations all about the details of how a white blood cell works. The graphic novel thing I understood because I’m a cartoonist, but also because I’m a cartoonist, I couldn’t figure out why he wanted me to do serious science art. After a pause on my part, I said,
“You’ve seen the work on my website, right?”
“Yes.”
“And you don’t want me to put funny faces on the cells?”
“No.”
“It’s just straight up micro-biology illustrations?”
“Yes.”
So, the challenge presented in this assignment was intriguing. The white blood cell process had to be turned into a panel-by-panel “story” so that it would be more readily understood by the layman picking up this magazine. I decided to accept this mission, knowing full well that the magazine might disavow any knowledge of me should I screw it up.
They provided rough thumbnail concept sketches of what they wanted, and since I don’t happen to have a microscope of my own, they also sent some great reference material to help me along. We were dealing with real science and nothing of fantasy, so it had to be right. This meant we had MANY discussions back and forth discussing each step in my creative process which included rough drawings, tight pencil drawings, a rough color pass, and then final color. Changes were made along the way to make sure some things were more accurate while others were more understandable.
Stylistically, the Art Director liked my previous work with watercolor, but also liked the sophisticated computer coloring found in many graphic novels today. So, I had to come up with a hybrid of methods to pull off a look that was both slick and organic. The art ended up having an inked line as you would see in comic books, with a coloring job that combined traditional watercolor paint and additional Photoshop work. I thought the combination of methods turned out pretty good….
The splash page of my five-pages of illustrations detailing how white blood cells work. “Answers Magazine” laid it out with the type. (CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE A LARGER VIEW.)
If you’d like to see a little more of my work on this project, including some preliminary stages of the art, you should check out Answers Magazine on Facebook where they posted some extra steps in the process of this article.
Or, if you’d like to order your own copy of the magazine with all five pages of the published art in it, it is available now in the Oct-Dec 2010 issue. Just go to Answers Magazine‘s website and contact them about ordering this special issue!
Last year, as part of my Drawn & Quoted series, I created a pencil drawing of a wide-eyed fuzzy monster that just exuded optimism (If you’d like to see it again, just CLICK HERE!) It received wonderful reaction from folks. It is fun to know that such a positive pencil drawing elicited such a positive response. I got to thinking that perhaps this purveyor of positiveness should see the light of day in full color!
So, fresh from my drafting table just today comes this turquoise Joyful Beast in living watercolor paint and colored pencil:
The pessimist in me thinks the monster is noticing his own reflection in the mirror, while the hopeful optimist in me thinks he’s met his perfect match. What do YOU think is floating his boat? Leave a comment!
Well, here we are – Day 31 of 31 days of Monster Month – a fresh and tasty brand new monster drawing each day in the month of October. I truly hope you have enjoyed looking at each creature as much as I have enjoyed creating them. There will be other monsters here on the blog now and then along with other art that keeps me busy, so please visit again to see what is new!
We all have them in our lives – a person who is there just to suck every last bit of childlike wonder we have inside. They say things like “You wouldn’t eat THAT would you?” just as you are about to take a bite. “Those haven’t been in style since MC Hammer!” as you are walking around in your favorite pants. Or “You can’t drive BACKWARDS on the freeway!” when you clearly are navigating your vehicle quite well on your own.
All I have to say is, don’t let them bring you down!
There’s always a killjoy in every sewer, isn’t there? Sheesh.
For those of you who have been following my Monster Month drawings, you will have noticed that I tend to lean toward the cartoony and humorous style of beastie. That’s my nature – a glimpse into my inner core if you will. Last week I was issued a challenge by an artist whom I deeply respect as he is quite an original himself. Ralph Steadman wrote “As a rule, monsters have got to be almost so obscene they need to be scary – too scary to look at. Avoid the cartoon monster- smell the sweat!!!”
After giving Mr. Steadman’s mandate some thought, I came up with this toothy monster. What is scarier than an otherworldly creature who preys on sweet innocent little kitty cats? (Yeah, I know – I had to get something cartoony and humorous into the picture, too.) Ralph, this one’s for you.
The teeth are one thing, but that horrendous halitosis will kill you first every time..
Well, I know the above monster doesn’t necessarily smell of sweat, but it’s a step in the right direction. In order to make my drawings more sweat worthy, perhaps I’ll have to think of scarier things to get in the right mindset. My current mental scare tactics aren’t working – tactics like what if you have to squelch a burp in church, or getting up to the register at the grocery store only to realize you left your coupons at home.
Then again, for some of us, those thoughts can be pretty hard core scary.
I have a beard. Primarily I have a beard because I lack a fondness for shaving. Shaving is a painful inconvenience. Besides, there’s nothing wrong with a little facial fuzz. It sprouts there on it’s own, so who am I to hinder its existence.
Now, this fella, on the other hand, has issues with his stubble – it’s sharp. I suppose that is prone to be the case when your “stubble” is really yellow horns protruding from your chin. A standard razor can’t do the trick on this one. He probably needs a hedge trimmer to cut through those barbs. The only trouble is they grow back in overnight and the routine starts all over again the next morning. Actually, now that I think about it, you had better steer clear of his 5 o’clock shadow as well.
Of course, after Hank shaves, he uses refreshing Aqua Velva even though it stings.
This past weekend I spent several nights sleeping in a hotel in the Phoenix, AZ area. While the room appears clean when you first arrive, you always wonder what those cleaning ladies may have missed. With the current bed bug scare in the United States, you hope desperately that the preceding traveler didn’t leave behind little guests of their own that enjoy room service.
Thankfully I didn’t have bed bugs (that I know of), but it still didn’t stop me from sketching this drawing right there in my room of what could have been. Oog.
